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Poland has entered two days of national mourning following a deadly shooting in central Krakow that left six people dead. The national prosecutor’s office has officially opened a terrorism investigation into the incident.
Shooting and Casualties in Krakow
The 24-year-old Polish suspect carried out the shooting on Saturday in the historic centre of Krakow. Police reported that a British national was among those killed in the attack. Additionally, authorities told the PAP news agency that citizens from Austria, Britain, Germany, Portugal, and Russia were among the 15 people wounded.
Law enforcement officers later discovered three more bodies at the suspect’s residence in Ostrowiec Swietokrzyski, located approximately 150km northeast of Krakow. Police identified the victims found at the home as the suspect’s parents and his sister.
Investigation and Suspect Details
The suspect sustained injuries during the police intervention and remains hospitalized in critical condition. Poland’s National Prosecutor’s Office announced on social media that it initiated an investigation into the Krakow attack, classifying the offense as a terrorist act involving the use of a firearm to kill six people and attempt the murder of numerous others, including police officers.
Daniel Prokopowicz, a spokesperson for the prosecutor’s office, stated that it was highly likely the same individual perpetrated the killings in both Ostrowiec Swietokrzyski and Krakow, though investigations remain ongoing. Media reports indicated that the suspect, identified as Michal O, held a valid gun licence and possessed no prior criminal record. Furthermore, Polish Interior Minister Marcin Kierwinski stated that the attacker was influenced by far-right and ultranationalist ideologies and views.
National Mourning and Commemoration
Following the tragedy, Krakow’s main market square and surrounding streets remained closed, with police permitting access exclusively to essential service workers. Numerous nearby cafes stayed closed, and flags at the city hall flew at half-mast while mourners lit candles in several spots throughout the area.
The Polish Press Agency reported that the traditional hourly trumpet call from St Mary’s church on the square was suspended for 12 hours to honor the victims, marking the first time this tradition has been halted since 1939.
